preindustrial

adjective

pre·​in·​dus·​tri·​al ˌprē-in-ˈdə-strē-əl How to pronounce preindustrial (audio)
variants or pre-industrial
1
: not having developed or adopted industry : not industrialized
preindustrial agrarian societies
preindustrial civilization
2
: occurring, existing, or originating before the development or adoption of industry
in preindustrial times
preindustrial levels of carbon dioxide
preindustrial artifacts
still made using preindustrial methods
also : resembling that of preindustrial times
a return to a preindustrial way of life

Examples of preindustrial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Zoom out: Globally, 2024 was the planet's hottest year on record and was the first year to have a global average surface temperature exceed the Paris target of 1.5°C compared to preindustrial levels. Andrew Freedman, Axios, 15 Jan. 2025 World leaders have pledged to implement measures and policies to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels by the end of the century, but the World Meteorological Organization has pointed out that current efforts are insufficient. Fernanda González, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2025 This year is also virtually certain to be the first full year where global average temperatures were at least 2.7 degrees above preindustrial levels, said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Climate Change Service. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2024 That time range, often called the preindustrial period, marks a point before greenhouse gases started to significantly accumulate in the atmosphere from the burning of coal, oil and other fossil fuels. Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for preindustrial 

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of preindustrial was in 1883

Dictionary Entries Near preindustrial

Cite this Entry

“Preindustrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preindustrial. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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